Pie for Breakfast
by notjustprincesswarriorprincess
Summary: Sister fic. About a month after Swan Song. Dean finally goes to see Vee since Sam. Doesn't know what to expect. Just some apple pie fluff is all.


About a month after Swan Song-Friday morning

Dean goes to see Vee.

Dean left on impulse around 1am after trying and failing to fall asleep. He drove all night cutting the 8 hour drive to 6. He figured this weekend was as good as any to see his sister. Weekends were either too quiet or too full of people asking him questions. His new job rehabbing houses did the trick of filling his head with noise during the day, Lisa and Ben did what they could, and a fifth of anything helped him get his four hours before the nightmares got to him.

It'd been a month since Stull Cemetery. Dean knew he'd put off going to see Vee long enough. She'd said her goodbyes and she knew that if neither of them had called since the omens stopped, that meant their plan worked and he was gone. He hadn't even called her since it happened. A month was the longest either he or Sam had gone without calling or seeing her. It was their rule to stay in touch with their sister.

Dean was worried what state he'd find her sister in. He hoped he wouldn't find her in one of her dark depression places. He did expect she'd be angry with him for waiting so long. But he'd cross the bridge when it came. She needed to know he was okay, at least physically anyway. And honestly he needed to see her too. Lisa was beyond great. She didn't pressure him to tell her anything, woke him up when he'd scream in his sleep, and did what she could to keep him distracted. He and Bobby played phone tag for a week before he realized he wasn't ready to talk to him. And Cas he figured had bigger fish to fry.

Vee's house was the getaway he needed. She was always good about giving him and Sam short breaks from hunting and the road, dropping everything so that she could "give her Big Hero Brothers some proper R&R." She always had fresh, warm pie on the table, sick jams playing in the house, and it was nice that there was always a few of the kids she started to foster running around to keep things entertaining.

He arrived around 7am. Vee had a rule about only coming and going in the mornings. She said goodbyes were always sadder when it was dark outside and coming late at night made it feel like they lost a whole day to hang out. It was her thing and the boys always made sure to follow it. Visits with Vee were always for recreation and never for work. Since she lived with Aunt Sally they wanted time with her to be just family time and they wanted to protect her from all the crap and drama of the road.

Vee was on her porch talking with one of her kids. Vee was a foster mom or "foster auntie" as she preferred to call herself because she was so young. She started a couple years ago when she finished college. She had inherited the house from Aunt Sallie after she died and didn't like it empty and quiet. It started with one runaway kid she found on the side of the road and it went on from there. She was home a lot for the kids and worked part-time as a nurse at an old folks home. Her nursing skills came in handy whenever Dean and Sammy arrived a little banged up.

Sure enough even at this early hour, Clapton's Layla was blasting from inside the house and he could smell pie. Scooby and Batman, her dogs, jumped off the porch to greet him. Vee hadn't heard him drive up. His truck barely made any noise compared to the Impala. He'd put her on ice. It didn't feel right making Baby a civilian and he didn't like looking at the empty passenger seat.

She saw him park and yelled out, "Hey!" He plastered on his biggest, fakest smile and headed towards her. Dean: "Hey, there's my Princess." They hugged and she grabbed his bag. She always insisted on carrying their stuff in.

Vee: "Blueberry pie for breakfast?" Dean: "Silly question." Vee: "Yeah, yeah. Come on. I'm hungry myself and want more coffee."

Dean followed her, noticing she never dropped her eyes or smile. He figured she looked like she was doing okay and not pissed at him. Small victories. The kid on her porch was new to Dean. Vee introduced him as Darren, 17, on the football team, and learning how to drive. He gave Vee a quick hug and said he'd be home around four before taking off on his bike to school. "Be good and be safe!" she yelled after him. Exactly what she'd always tell him and Sam when they'd leave.

Vee: "He's my only one for now. Good kid. Dad needs to stay sober for a few more months and finish some classes before he goes back. A couple of my other kids actually got reunited with their parents and it's been smooth so far."

Dean sat down at the kitchen table and allowed himself to be amazed at his sister. She usually had at least three or four kids at a time and he'd never once heard her raise her voice or seen her lose patience. She read the little ones stories and had the older ones tell her about their days before they all went to bed. If they wanted to play a sport, join a club, or start a hobby she made it happen. She replaced all of their ratty clothes and made sure she got anyone who came to her sick, fed and well again. Sam and him pitched in when they came around mostly for the fun stuff like playing ball or teaching them how to work a hammer. Dean even changed a few dirty diapers and fed them their bottles since he was already experienced with her and Sam. She got them thinking about their futures, college, jobs, traveling. He gave them hope. Vee was the mom he believed their mom Mary would have been. An angel.

Vee: "What are Lisa and Ben up to this weekend?" Dean: "Ben's staying at a friend's house and Lisa's having a girl's weekend or something at a spa." Vee: "Ooh that sounds like fun." Dean: "Oh yeah wish I coulda gone." Vee: "Don't knock it. I bet a pedicure would get your eyes to roll back."

Vee laughed at her own joke and it made him smile. A real smile. She cut them each a slice of pie and got them milk and coffee. Vee: "Let's go eat on the porch. The Eagles are coming up next on my playlist and it's such a nice day outside." Dean thought it sounded like heaven.

Vee did most of the talking, updating Dean on how the foster kids and old folks he knew were doing nowadays. Her cats Leonardo (after the TMNT, not the artist) and Sabrina (yes, after the teenage witch) were cuddling up to him. He was too full of milk and half a pie to care that their was cat hair all over him and his allergies were starting to act up. Dean let himself sink into bliss for the moment.

That was the thing about Vee. Even before she lived with Aunt Sallie who was a laid back sweetie herself, she was good at making people feel comfortable and content. She never asked how he was doing cause that was the last thing he'd want to talk about, she didn't give him crap for waiting so long to visit, and she didn't bring up Sam even though he knew she was hurting and missing him too. When Sam and Dean would finish a bad hunt, seeing Vee would help them shake off the crazy and creepy.

Dean noticed the lawn could use a mow and figured he could take a look at Vee's car and truck to see if they needed to be serviced. He and Sam always made sure to help Vee with any maintenance and repairs. Dean, and eventually Aunt Sallie, made sure Vee knew enough to handle things on her own from working a wrench to kicking some ass. But he loved being able to help her out with anything she couldn't get to. To be a big bro to his very independent little sister. It always helped with his guilt for not having her on the road with them. It was dad's call and a part of him knew it was for the best but it killed Dean every time they had to leave her. He thinks that's where she started that rule about no goodbyes after dark.

Vee was always single. Dean sometimes joked that the Winchester's siblings inability to keep a long term relationship was genetic. But he couldn't help but be thankful she wasn't attached to some douchebag he'd have to beat the crap out of.

Dean: "Grass is getting tall and I'll take a look at your car and truck while I'm here." Vee: "Dean, it's okay." Dean put a hand up to stop her and gave her a look. Vee: "Mmmm okay, thank you. I'm off today. I have some laundry to do and wanted to clean out some of the bedrooms in case I get more kids soon. I guess I could use your help with a dump run. Darren will be home at four. We're driving out of town for a bit so he can practice. Planned on having a picnic for dinner. You down?" Dean: "Sounds like a plan."

Next morning- Saturday 7am

Vee is in her bedroom cleaning out her closet. Dean walks in.

Dean: "Man what was in that cocoa last night? I slept a full 8 like a baby."

Vee: "Any dreams?"

Dean: "Now that you mention it, no none. Huh, that's gotta be the first night in a long time."

Vee: "Good."

Dean: Smirking, "You slip me something sis?"

Vee: "Auntie Sallie's remedy. Something she'd brew for me for a dreamless sleep. I use it on a few of the kids that have really bad night terrors. Can only use it once in a great while, otherwise it starts to mess with your head a little. Figured you could use a good night's sleep."

Dean: "Yeah. Uh definitely. Thanks. (long pause) Have you been needing that stuff lately?"

Vee: Still in her closet moving stuff around - "I'm good Dean if that's what you're asking. Sam's a hero. You guys saved the world. You saved me. I cry to sleep every night missing him and praying he gets out of there and into heaven where he belongs. But I'm grateful. I have to be. He sacrificed himself for us. I want to be mad at him for leaving us but that's not right. I bargain with God to give him back. I also pray that your liver doesn't crap out and you have more happy moments. (Finishes what she's doing and claps) Now, Darren and I were planning to pick up a couple of my former kids and take em to the state fair today. Come with us. It's a long drive but it'll give him some practice time on the freeway. If anything you can drive back tonite so you can cut the time in half. Sound good?"

Dean was used to Vee's mini rants and quick subject changes. That was his Warrior Princess. A little bit of Sam and a little bit of Dean, wrapping everything up in a nice bow and shoving it down.

Dean: "Deep fried twinkies and Krispy Kreme burgers? Yeah I'm there."

Vee: "Sweet. We leave in an hour after breakfast. Pancakes and bacon."

Vee walks up to him and pulls him into a hug burying her face in his neck. Dean starts to feel the painful lump in his chest and squeezes her hard to stop it. They just stand there for a bit not moving or making a sound. She releases him first, gives him a peck on the cheek, smiles, and asks him to go wake Darren up. Dean looks out the window, sending Sammy a silent prayer hoping he's okay and letting him know that that they miss him.


End file.
